Survey Says…!

If you’ve bought stamps or mailed a package at a postal retail counter, the clerk probably directed you to a survey at the bottom of the receipt. Maybe you filled it out to compliment your helpful clerk, or to raise a concern about the appearance of the post office lobby.

No matter your feedback — good, bad, or indifferent — you were heard. The Point of Sale (POS) Survey you took is one of four primary tools the U.S. Postal Service uses to assess customer satisfaction across its various points of contact with customers. Here are the four tools and what they measure:

The POS Survey measures the retail experience at post offices.

The Business Service Network (BSN) Survey polls large business customers.

The Customer Care Center (CCC) Survey focuses on the phone helpline.

The Delivery Survey assesses the delivery experience of residential customers as well as small and medium businesses.

Altogether, the surveys ask more than 50 questions, presented in a variety of ways: satisfaction rating scales, multiple choice questions, and through open-ended responses known as “verbatims.” The data feed into the Customer Insights (CI) Index, which serves as a dashboard metric of customer satisfaction. The CI Index contributes to postal management’s pay-for-performance system and is reported to Congress and the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Our recent white paper, Postal Customer Satisfaction: A Primer of Four Surveys, researched the above surveys to better understand how they are structured. We organized the paper into five modules, the first one describing the CI Index and how it measures customer touchpoints. The other modules describe the individual surveys and note who is surveyed, what is asked, and some top-level results. We also provide some suggestions on ways to enhance the surveys.

We noted the Postal Service has a robust and evolving survey program, but some minor enhancements to the surveys would likely improve USPS’s ability to assess and act on customer sentiment. Given the Postal Service’s renewed commitment to improving customer service, gaining a more nuanced and comprehensive perspective on the postal customer’s total experience should prove invaluable.

How about you? Do you tend to fill out surveys after shopping or using a service? What encourages you or discourages you from filling out a survey? Would you be more likely to give feedback if all you had to do was push a red, yellow, or green button to register your satisfaction?

Comments (35)

Bernie Krasowski

I went to the local post office to mail two packages. It was Saturday and I have no idea where I can get something in UPS on the weekend, not to mention that the packages wouldn't move out of town until Monday the soonest. There wasn't a line out the front door which is always good, and I was taken care of in a timely manner. My packages were shipped and insured for delivery on Tuesday. Not bad timing and for a reasonable cost. I'm for the post office!

Aug 26, 2018

Bennett Doyyridge

The past few months the service has begun to go down hill. There seams to be a shortage of help or something.
There is never any one at the counter to help customers and when there is there is a long line.
What has changed to cause these problems.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE!!!!

Aug 12, 2018

Peter M Palumbo

Back in April 2018 I participated in a seven day survey regarding the various types of correspondence our home receives through the USPO which required filling out questionaires for each of those seven days as well as dividing by category each type of mail received and sending it all back at the conclusion of the week. The "reward" for our participation was either $40.00 or 100 first-class stamps which I opted for. It was stated that it would take 10 or 12 weeks but to date we've received no stamps or check. Please let us know when we can expect to be compensated for our participation in your survey. Thank you.

Aug 02, 2018

Cynthia Ballance

I was pleased that there was no line! The clerk was pleasant as she helped me mail two packages. Even when very busy, clerks have always been pleasant and helpful.
New Bern, NC

Jul 27, 2018

OIG Web Moderator

Hello, Cynthia. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Much of the extra effort provided by U.S. Postal Service employees often goes unrecognized, so your comments are appreciated. We have recorded your compliment and will share it with Postal Service management.

Jul 27, 2018

trisha steiner

I am always pleased with usps.....this morning the clerk was very helpful to this old forgetful lady. I appreciated his service and knowledge very much Ten stars.

Jul 26, 2018

OIG Web Moderator

Hello, Trisha. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Much of the extra effort provided by U.S. Postal Service employees often goes unrecognized, so your comments are appreciated. We have recorded your compliment and will share it with Postal Service management.

Jul 26, 2018

Cynthia Coleman

I would like to compliment San Dimas Post Office clerk Johnna. We had discussed a new stamp issue coming out soon, and today she called me and told me they had them. I live close to the post office, so I was there before they sold out. I appreciated her personalized attention to my request, clerks like her are rare and so special.

Jul 06, 2018

Lorraine Cameron

I wanted to send compliments to the Lady that served us at the Pembina Post Office we are Canadian and went to mail birthday card and picture to a sister that lives in Chicago the Post service worker's name is Lois and she was the very best thank you

Jul 05, 2018

Premnada

Best service, thank you so much

Mar 14, 2018

J

I shipped a box on January 2, 2017 from Michigan to Florida. The post office set a delivery date for January 9, 2017. It did not arrive until January 16, 2017. I inquired repeatedly but never received an explanation about this egregious delay. I signed up for text alerts but never received any regarding the status or location of the package.
The box contained Christmas gifts that were too bulky for my relatives to pack in their luggage following a trip here for the holidays. The stress felt by me and the recipients cannot be measured. My disappointment cannot be overstated. I expected much better service, especially after spending over $30 to ship the box.

Jan 16, 2018

Kim Russo

When I needed assistance with a package, I went to the Midvale post office. I encountered the most courteous and knowledgeable post office employee in the entire universe! Jacky was kind and considerate as well as being thoroughly professional!

Dec 21, 2017

Frank heck

The Paramus office on Route 17 in NJ just purely suck!! How can you have one window open during the prime hoilday season?? My complaint is not even about that, it's about the stupid dropboxes. It's broken or jammed and no one cares to fix it?? Really? I have to line up for 15-20 mins so I can just hand off a package?? No other windows open so I can't just "drop it off" like most small normal post offices. For a big office, this place sucks and no wonder the post office will go out of business.. oh yeah, I want a refund for the money I been throwing into your "fake" pension

Nov 27, 2017

Anonymous

Staff work very hard to assist customers. I feel they are under too much pressure, working too hard. They are efficient, and courteous, which impresses me.

Oct 30, 2017

Betty Baker

I was recently in Franklin, IN. and went to same po 2 x. Both times I was met with smiling customer caring people who were prompt and answered my questions sincerely and quickly. I never do surveys but, felt in this case it was exceptional.
I commend this post office for their care. Bill # 840-54600062-1-3047885-2
Clerk: 08

Oct 16, 2017

John J

I could comment about the several times packages have arrived damaged over the years. But what happened today at the downtown Murrieta, CA branch tops all that. I was having a heavy package (70 pounds) shipped. There were some latex paint marks (dry) on the exterior of my shipping box. The employees informed me that the paint was flammable and could not be accepted. Then, the supervisor was called. He sniffed my package ??? and proceeded to tell me again that a few streaks of paint on a box was unsafe to ship. I thought that they had decided that there was paint in the box. No, I told them. It was an antique cash register. They turned me away.I guess we all have regulations to follow, but the folks who pushed the “unsafe dry paint” rule should be jailed for impeding interstate commerce! THE CARDBOARD BOX AND STRAPPING TAPE ARE ALSO FLAMMABLE!!! The amount of danger added by the dry paint is negligible. You should be ashamed of yourselves for your unprofessional treatment of a customer! I have always chosen USPS for my customer shipping, but that ends today.

Sep 20, 2017

Jim

I have used 5 local postal facilities, Mt laurel, Medford, Voorhees , Rancocas and Marlton. My experience has been pleasant in all but 1 of them. Marlton NJ needs help, no greeting, short abrupt answers and often long lines. They seem indifferent and frankly SAD.... Please help them out.

Sep 11, 2017

P M Valentine

I am highly upset and devastated that a package I mailed on Monday Aug 28, 2017 from NC 27704 with a 2 day delivery, insured to Plano, TX, 75093. .for a wedding has not been received (package) as of today Sept. 5, 2017. I Expected delivery no longer than 4 days, at the least. I've tracked this package throughout it's travel only to stop completely in Opa Lacka, Florida distribution center where no one ever answered the phone or it rang busy for 5 days. With no one to speak to in Fla., nor a response via text or email. I finally spoke with a supervisor and station manager in Plano 75093, that could only say I don't have any information on this package and it has not been received in Plano. Really! This very important and sensitive package was for my wedding on Saturday Sept. 2, really ruined my day, weekend and entire wedding. I've learned an important lesson. Never use the Post Office. The laxadazy response from personnel was demeaning and never offered a helpful or extra solution. Just, it's not here. I wonder what happens now? I'm returning to NC. Now I have to get someone to return it (package) back to NC. I will not recommend The Post Office again. Revisit and revise your customer service tecniques. They need serious reconsideration. While you're just throwing boxes, packages are meaningful someone. Assure your customers it will arrive in a timely manner. Customer service means everything! A tracking number was use for all correspondence.

Sep 05, 2017

John Ellwanger

The package notice left in my mailbox directed me to go to the wrong post office to pick up my package. After waiting an hour in line and wasting another 30 minutes in driving and go, I was directed to go to another post office where I waited another hour in line. This was not how I planned to spend my Labor Day weekend.

Sep 02, 2017

David Bailinson

Like most people, I only fill out surveys if I receive really good service, or really bad. Although, I've been writing here for close to a week and nothing has been published. The on-line USPS is just as responsive as my local office.
I find it interesting that you must address delivery/delivery employee problems at your local post office. Do they not realize you have to report the problem to those who are the problem, or at least in some cases are party to the problem. I have been searching for about a week to see where I go if the problem is not being addressed on a local level. In fact, that is a pretty clear indicator that the there is more than one problem. It stems from the top at the local level. After writing a letter to the postmaster, leaving him my contact information when he didn't respond to the letter, and now no response to leaving info.

Sep 02, 2017

A. Parikh

What about surveys for service that refused to be rendered? My wife went to the post office at 1 Smithbridge Road Glen Mills, PA 19342. He refused to allow her to add tracking to an International letter. When she stated that she had done it in the past at another Post Office he told her to go back there (she went to the Talleyville, DE office and received exceptional service). The old man there who dealt with her has been very inconsiderate, rude, and impatient when I've dealt with him. He needs some serious retraining in customer service and customer experience.

Sep 01, 2017

LetherNick

I tend to be motivated by surveys which offer a chance to win a prize. Doesn't have to be a big prize, but just a prize that peaks my interest. Even though I haven't won anything yet, it still makes completing surveys a bit more appealing to me. But like most people - a truly great/bad experience would be self=rewarding in itself - no prize needed. The polar opposites attract the most participants, no doubt, but it's those in between the "truly great" and the "truly bad" who may be incentivized by a small inexpensive prize. It's become a common occurrence for postal retail clerks to close the interactions with the customer by emphasizing the "survey" on the sales receipt. I think that's a good thing. Wait ... a chance to win a what???!!!

Aug 31, 2017

Ray

I'm compelled to report on my Moss Landing Office Preformance since I depend on USPS for all my buiness parcels and my online buiness which I send and recive large volumes daily for the last 11 years. Since the retirement of the senior staff, there has been a huge decrease in Preformance by stationary staff member who for the last 16 months, in her senior position, has held crucial money's sent to me for 08. To .12 cent postage shortages by sender which caused hardship on my staff and my payables with no notification of this to anyone. Everytime I enter the office, she is either on her cell phone or on her computer and I mean every day. I have wanted to meet with the postmaster in Castroville and voice my frustration! He is a great guy who really is all about being the best USPS can be and has helped my postal affairs tremendously but I know he knows about these issues after dialog with other buiness owner here in Moss Landing. The was a staff member who ran the office flawlessly for years after the retirement of senior staff, Maria is her name. I now depend on USPS 100 % of my buiness and these mistakes are not acceptable and there has been many! I've had parcels sitting for 2 days until I was adamant with tracking info to actually find important parcels. It has occurred more than once and always communicating while sitting at her desk or talking on here cell when work isn't done and I've herd it from everyone but no changes ever happen. Maria was a very sharp, personable professional who everyone enjoyed but has been gone for sometime. The current woman in charge is not someone we can depend on to represent USPS and I hope the Postmaster General will replace current senior staff and get back Maria who everyone respected. I would like to remain anounomus in respect to this complaint and hope you can rid Moss Landing P.O. Of staff that just doesn't care and other than a staff member, you people are doing a super job and I've rely solely on USPS priority mail for my online buiness.

Aug 30, 2017

STEVEN STEINBAUM

I feel that the USPS is making great strides in spite of the lack of support.

Aug 30, 2017

Steve M

Delivery experience? You don't deliver to my address.!. What delivery experience? There is none. What makes me fill them out is either poor or great service. What makes me continue to fill them out is lack of resolution to the problem. No mail, no service, lousy experience.

Aug 30, 2017

Charlie

I generally only fill out surveys when I receive poor service.

Aug 29, 2017

Siebhon Edria G...

Mail persons are doing good work.

Aug 29, 2017

Steve M

Really? Because they don't deliver mail where I live, like to law enforcement, etc. They USPS no longer does service.

Aug 30, 2017

Margaret

I have filled out surveys online, mail-in paper surveys, and an automated phone survey. I will never do a phone survey again. REDICILOUSLY LONG. I finished it because the employee was uber.
Pressing a button to register the quality of a transaction would be great but it would have to be accurate, it would have to be working, if you press the wrong button you should be given the opportunity to make the correction.
I just think that the customer should be given open-ended questions because some questions are not clear or don't fit a yes/no answer model.

Aug 29, 2017

OIG

Thanks for your feedback, Margaret! That is good to note: the CCC survey, on the phone, is much longer than the other surveys discussed in the project. Also, misdials could be a problem in their rating system.

Aug 31, 2017

steve m

You fail in basic service. The post office no longer delivers mail, or solves problems.
Even the OIG is a failure.
No accountability leads to abuse.
Oldest active law enforcement agency is a joke.

Sep 01, 2017

Barry Scott

We have been shipping with usps exclusively for 10 years. We average $2000 a month in usps postage. We have spent over $250,000 shipping for our business. This year, we lost our regular carrier, we've had a few different ones. Now we have had no pickup 4 times. The pickups say "We have successfully completed your Package Pickup." and once again they have not been picked up. I have spoken to the manager at the local post office several times and while friendly someone is dropping the ball. On days when noone arrives by 4pm we call. Today we called and spoke to someone different at 3:30 and he assured us we would be picked up. We get the package pickup notice at 10:33pm. Our packages are in a giant red lock box with lock as they are very valuable. All the packages from saturday, sunday, and monday morning. We work hard to get these out promptly. The instructions are very simple to understand but fill in carriers many times mark as picked up and do not pick up. They do not even attempt. We have 3 annoying dogs that hear the box being opened everytime. Tonights case, I had to bring 20 packages back inside for the night for security, as they are worth several thousand dollars. I'm at the end of my rope, I have pickup in everyday and this has been the worst year in 10 years. I am about to start using UPS and see if they will do a better job. Our local UPS man is very friendly and wants out business. We were told we are the biggest customers on our route by one our our mailmen, so Im not sure why we are not beingtaken care of. I understand usps is very busy. We use usps as we believe in them over just another corporation but noone there seems to care anymore about us. $25,000 a year in postage and growing exponentially, a $600 metal secure box so the mailman never need see or talk to us if he doesnt want to.
Why do you not want to keep us as customers?
PS I grew up with a mailman father to top it off.

Aug 29, 2017

Ron

Barry,
My wife is a CCA (City Carrier Assistant) and I can tell you right now the management at the post office she works at is garbage. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing and everything in the middle is sinking in a swamp. They are monitored by GPS, and are given unrealistic and sometimes impossible expectations on running their routes. Every carrier is allotted and a 30 minute lunch and several 10 minute breaks. If you sit to take your lunch they are called by their supervisor that is monitoring their GPS movement and asked why they are not moving. Their time cards reflect that they took a duty free lunch even if they didn't get the chance, so figure that over a couple of years or more. I understand why Postal Workers are so disgruntled, you have people in a supervisory position that absolutely should not even be a carrier or desk clerk. They don't know how to be a manager. Her post office is ranked at the bottom / worst in the state as far as numbers. And that directly reflects poor management. I would go ahead and see what "Brown" can do for you.

Aug 30, 2017

Joanna Mancini

Fraud by an employee at Palm City fl post office
Refused to redirect my mail to new address even after i completed a change of address on line paid for it it never happened

Aug 28, 2017

OIG Blog Moderator

Hello Joanna,
Thank you for your comment. If you believe that fraud has been committed by a postal employee please submit a complaint with our Hotline (use the red button at the top right of the page).

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